my thoughts on: the perks of being a wallflower by stephen chbosky

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

published 1999, goodreads page.

I don't know how to begin talking about this book. 

I think I'll start off this post in dot points. 

• I loved it from beginning to end.
• The writing is incredible. I was blown away by how compelling it is. 
• The book is written in epistolary form - the main character, Charlie, writing letter after letter to this person he doesn't know and has never met, yet addresses as "Friend". 
• Charlie is like no other character I have ever had the pleasure of being introduced to. 
• The story is beautiful in a way one rarely can find in contemporary literature. So beautiful.
• The Perks of Being a Wallflower makes me exceedingly proud to say that I'm a fan of YA. 

For me, it was kinda like the book took a hold of me, like it reached out and grabbed onto my heart with a steel grip. Then you get to all those moments with Charlie, I don't know how to describe them other than by saying "those moments", and then I felt like my heart was just been SQUEEZED, or like it was digging its fingers in. Coz it kinda hurt really bad sometimes. Or a lot of times. But it was a gentle, beautiful sort of pain. I really felt for Charlie is what I think I'm trying to say. 

This was a really sad story. But funny. And hopeful. And when joy came, it came with full, unyielding force. 

It was really something to behold.

I can't remember if I mentioned this to you before, but when I read a book that I own and come across something that strikes me as poignant, something I want to remember, something I want to return to - I'll dog-ear the page, no questions asked.

For The Perks of Being a Wallflower, I couldn't do that. 

Can you guess why?

I couldn't do that because then every single page in the novel would be dog-eared.